We had a sneak peak at Altra’s Superior 4 this summer at the 2018 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Denver, where we gave it our Editor’s Choice award for Best Lightweight Trail Shoe. The new Superior is the lightest model yet. The Runner’s World Shoe Lab weighed the 4 at 8.7 ounces (men’s size 9), making it more than 2 ounces lighter than its predecessor (the women’s size 7 is 0.4 ounces lighter). The 4 also delivers impressive energy return thanks to the new Quantic midsole, which makes the shoe have a softer, more cushy feel, as well.

Unboxing a pair of 4s, you’ll find removable stone guards you can insert inside the shoe for days when you plan on hitting more technical trails. The shoe also has gaiter traps so you can outfit the Superior for even more protection on gnarly terrain. Punctured holes provide drainage in the front, and the grippy MaxTrac rubber outsole will help you hold your own on slippery rock.

Running in the Superior is how Tarzan must feel running barefoot. Due to the ultra-lightness and protective tech you can insert underfoot, there’s a kind of confidence and dexterity running in the 4 you’ll love if you want to wear as little shoe as possible toeing the trails.

A MaxTrac outsole provides grippy traction (women’s shown)

Trevor Raab

Flexible and Responsive

Running in shoes with excellent energy return is a sort of dance—if your legs are slogging, you’re not reaping the benefits of the midsole’s tech. The Superior is so light that the swiftness in your movements can better sync with the Quantic midsole’s power. According to Altra, Quantic has the feel and performance of the company’ Ego midsole, yet weighs less. The ride in the Superior is highly responsive, and the shoe is very flexible. Once you get used to the zero-drop heel lift, expect high turnover.

MaxTrac Outsole

We’ve seen the MaxTrac outsole before; the Superior shares this feature with the Lone Peak 4. The claw-like, beveled lugs help with toe off on wet rocks, grass, and cinder paths. One wear-tester, who has also tested the Brooks Caldera and Salming Trail, found the Superior got slightly “bogged down” in extremely muddy conditions. However, she said she appreciated the solid grip on slick, wet surfaces.

Gaiter traps outfit the shoe’s upper (men’s shown).

Trevor Raab

Contours to Your Foot

Look under the Superior 4 and you’ll see the pattern on the sole resembles a footprint. This symbol reflects the shoe’s structure: it contours to your foot. The flexible upper has a burrito tongue (i.e., a tongue attached by one side for a sleeker, more secure fit) and foot-shaped toe box for room to splay your toe. Some testers noted that the heel collar runs a little low and has a snug fit around the ankle. The laces are also astronomically long—you’ll probably want to loop them through that last hammock eyelet.

More Insight from Our Wear Testers

Brittni H., tester since 2017Arch: Medium | Footstrike: Midfoot

“The fit is different from traditional trail shoes, but once you get accustomed to the zero drop footbed, the shoe is quite responsive. The upper and lacing system really hug your foot; I always felt very secure.”

Taylor R., tester since 2018Arch: Medium | Pronation: Neutral

“I loved the shape of this shoe. The wide area around the toes gives my feet plenty of room, even when they swell, which happens to me a lot. The upper wraps nicely around the top of my foot as well, without any pressure points.”

We put each shoe through real-world usage and a battery of mechanical tests in our lab to provide you with objective—and exclusive—data. In addition to a shoe’s weight, we measure sole thickness (everything that sits between your foot and the road), how well the foam cushions your stride, and the flexibility of the forefoot. All this is taken into account in our reviews of each shoe.

Amanda FurrerTest EditorAmanda is a test editor at Runner’s World and was a middle-of-the-pack Emerson College cross country runner; she’s run the Boston Marathon consecutively since 2013.

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